A vast power outage swept across Spain and Portugal today, bringing daily life to a standstill and disrupting transport, major events, and communications, according to reports from the Associated Press and the BBC.
The blackout struck major cities including Madrid and Lisbon, along with numerous other regions across the Iberian Peninsula. Spain바카라s national grid operator, Red Eléctrica, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that it was working urgently to restore electricity supplies and was still investigating the cause. "All resources are being dedicated to resolving it," the operator confirmed.
Spain바카라s national rail company, Renfe, reported that the entire national electricity grid had gone down at around 12:30pm local time (11:30am BST), forcing a halt to train services nationwide and bringing departures at all stations to a stop.
The outage also affected the Madrid Open, the major annual clay-court tennis tournament. Matches were suspended mid-play, with British player Jacob Fearnley among those forced off court after the blackout disabled scoreboards and court cameras, PA Media reported via the BBC.
Spain바카라s public broadcaster RTVE said the blackout had hit several regions simultaneously, leaving its newsroom, the Spanish Parliament in Madrid, metro stations, and traffic systems in the dark. Residents in Barcelona and nearby towns also reported power losses on local WhatsApp groups.
In Portugal, electricity distributor E-Redes attributed the failure to 바카라a problem with the European electricity system바카라, according to Portuguese daily Expresso. To stabilise the grid, the company said it was compelled to cut power in specific areas. Parts of France were also reportedly affected.
The blackout disrupted mobile phone services across Lisbon, with calls largely impossible though some messaging apps remained functional. Reports also indicated that Lisbon바카라s metro came to a standstill and traffic lights across the city centre failed, causing widespread travel disruption.
Authorities in both Spain and Portugal are continuing restoration efforts, although the precise cause of the outage has not yet been officially determined.
Mass outages of this scale are rare in Western Europe, and an investigation into the incident is expected to be launched.
The mayor of Madrid has urged residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary and to contact emergency services only for urgent matters. Traffic lights across the capital ceased functioning, creating dangerous driving conditions. Portugal바카라s national police similarly warned motorists to reduce speed and prioritise caution, given that street lighting and signals had failed in Lisbon and Porto.
Shops, restaurants, and public transport systems have been severely disrupted. Metro services in both Lisbon and Porto ground to a halt, leaving commuters stranded underground. Train services across Spain were suspended entirely, with Renfe, the national rail operator, confirming there were no departures from any station.
Airports such as Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat, and Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport are operating on emergency generators, but flights are delayed. London바카라s Gatwick Airport has also reported minor delays on flights headed to the affected regions. Passengers at Lisbon airport described being left in queues in the dark, with no access to running water, air conditioning, or electronic payment systems.
The head of Spain바카라s electricity network has indicated that restoring full power could take between six and ten hours, as authorities gradually reactivate the grid in phases.
In towns like La Vall d바카라Uixó, residents are attempting to make the best of the situation by gathering at pavement cafes. However, uncertainty hangs over ongoing local festivities for Saint Vincent Ferrer바카라s Day, as organisers await further updates on the restoration of power.
Beyond Spain and Portugal, parts of France and Andorra have also been affected. However, the Balearic and Canary Islands remain unaffected, providing some relief to holidaymakers there.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the causes behind this rare and extensive outage, while emergency measures remain in place to mitigate the disruption.
